With two months before school starts, many students have already begun summer internships. For those who haven't found an internship, don't worry—there's more than one way to enhance your background.
As one of the popular online volunteer services, United Nations online internships provide a high-quality holiday enrichment experience.
Today, we will introduce this background enhancement activity.
Introduction to UN Volunteering Program
1. Vision of UN Volunteers
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme aims to contribute to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Online volunteering enables organizations and volunteers to join forces to address sustainable development challenges: anywhere in the world, via any device.
Online volunteering is fast, easy, and most importantly, efficient. It encourages skilled and passionate individuals to collaborate online with outstanding organizations committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for mutual benefit.
2. Volunteer Categories
The volunteer work offered by the United Nations is divided into international volunteers, national volunteers, and online volunteers.
The first two have certain experience and regional requirements, but online volunteers have no strict requirements for work experience or age, making it the most recommended option for students.
3. Highlights of Online Volunteer Projects
- Completely free of charge, no fees at all
- Volunteer projects cover various industries, suitable for students from all backgrounds
- Allows applying for multiple projects simultaneously to increase the success rate
- Opportunity to work with people from diverse backgrounds around the world
- Upon completion, an official certificate will be provided, adding value to your resume
Application Process for UN Online Internships
1. Register an Account
Go to https://www.unv.org, select 'Volunteer online' from the menu, and click 'Login or sign up' in the top right corner to register an account.
Fill in your email, name, date of birth, and gender to register your account.
After successful registration, click into your account to complete the basic information in your Profile before you can start applying.
The main information includes: name, email, date of birth, preferred language, current nationality, nationality at birth, current country and region of residence, address information, professional experience, education, professional certifications, computer skills, languages, etc.
Documents that need to be uploaded include: passport, graduation certificate, professional certificates, licenses, etc.
2. Project Introduction
After completing the information, you can filter on the homepage to find volunteer projects that interest you.
After clicking into a specific volunteer project, you can see the details:
- General: number of volunteers needed, work period, and weekly workload
- Details: introduces the project's background, purpose, and task description
- Requirements: basic requirements for volunteers, such as language requirements, relevant experience, or need to attach related works
- Other information: such as inclusivity statements, etc.
Some volunteer tasks have certain background requirements; be sure to check carefully before applying.
The volunteer project below, for example, requires the applicant to be a native French speaker with fluent English, able to understand legal concepts and human rights law, and those familiar with any Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools will be given priority.
And for video editing, applicants are required to have creative thinking and storytelling skills, proficiency in software such as Premiere, After Effects, Photoshop, and Final Cut, as well as work experience in video editing.
3. Project Application
If you believe you meet the requirements, click 'Apply' and fill out the application form. The form requires information such as motivation for applying, years of experience, and other relevant details.
Just like looking for an internship or job, you should try to demonstrate a high degree of alignment with the volunteer role, expressing both willingness and ability to successfully complete the volunteer work.
After submitting the application, be sure to check your email; typically you will receive a response within about two weeks. If your resume passes, you will receive an interview invitation. After receiving a formal offer, you will need to sign relevant documents.
Working with people from diverse backgrounds around the world not only allows you to contribute to volunteer activities but also effectively helps you accumulate experience and enrich your background.
For students planning to apply to graduate school, participating in relevant volunteer work is also an excellent choice, as it can effectively enhance your personal statement and resume in the future.
Main image source: UN Volunteer official website
